ML619570510

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Continuing! Thanks to Mel and Ilya finding this gem on the 20 of May. I noted last night that these birds were seen in the evening as sea level was rising into high tide. I was unsuccessful locating these birds yesterday morning after 4 hours searching. I thought they still might be in the area so I arrived about 1/2 hour before daybreak during Civil Twilight (Twilight is broken down into 3 separate Twilights and that information is found on the website timeanddate) Right about 5:15 I saw 5 "Whimbrels" fly toward me and land in the short grass mounds along the dyke. I did not see the BTGO at that point but upon getting closer I saw two of them had upturned bill versus the down-turned bills of the WHIM. (Note: i added the photo of them coming in for a landing and do see tow of them with straighter bills) One was significantly smaller and the other almost as large as the WHIM. The smaller one had more rufous colouring on the its chest, belly and head and the larger one looked more gray with a slight hint of rufous in the neck area. And yes some bars in the rump area - hence the name. Very long bill with definite up turn. An BAEA spoiled the fun when it flew over the flock and about 12 "whimbrel" sized birds flew toward the Railway jetty and I lost them. The next report is my unsuccessful journey to find them. A Canadian lifer as I saw one in Norfolk UK a few years ago.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P1000

ISO

1000

Focal length

83.9 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.0

Shutter speed

0.05 sec

Dimensions

1728 pixels x 1192 pixels

Original file size

1.19 MB